Under the Radar

Despite its reputation, low-growing, unassuming cotoneaster is a hero plant with year-round interest

In general, British people like to cheer on the underdog, so it’s odd that so many gardeners dismiss certain shrubs that are, admittedly, less showy or attention-grabbing than others. Take cotoneaster, for example. If ever there was a plant tarred by the epithet ‘car park shrub’, it’s this humble yet hard-working stalwart. But it has so much to o er in the garden, including tremendous benefits for wildlife, and colourful interest across the seasons.

Arguably one of the best ones for gardens is Cotoneaster horizontalis. Yes, you’ll often see this low-growing species dutifully covering the ground in those kerbed areas of planting between parking bays, but use it with a bit more creativity and it can be a delight. In spring, small white flowers adored by bees are produced along branches lined with neat rows of small glossy green leaves. By autumn, masses of scarlet berries appear, which birds will feast on, while the leaves develop a rich, coral-red colour. Holding on over winter, foliage normally drops by around January, revealing the branches’ intriguing fish-bone pattern.

As well as making dense, weed-suppressing groundcover, C. horizontalis looks good against a wall, where its herringbone structure is brilliantly revealed in winter, particularly when highlighted by a coating of frost. It’s also superb planted at the top of a retaining wall, so its branches can arch downwards in a cascade of bright autumn colour.

It was French missionary Père Armand David who introduced C. horizontalis to cultivation. He sent seeds home to France from China in around 1870, and by 1885 it was being sold to discerning French gardeners who appreciated its distinctive habit. A science teacher turned missionary, Père David was in China to convert its people to Catholicism but his passion for the natural world was his greater calling. Said to have a mild manner and an innate respect for the Chinese, David was welcomed in parts of the country that Westerners rarely got to see and discovered masses of plants we grow today, such as Buddleja davidii and Davidia involucrata. ■

HOW TO GROW These hardy shrubs prefer moist but welldrained soil and full sun or part shade. They’re best planted in autumn and should be kept well watered until they establish. Some varieties require light pruning after fruiting, and all will appreciate a yearly mulch.